Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 FE are two attention-grabbing smartphones, half of the present flagship era. It is just pure to marvel about their variations, their efficiency, and most significantly – which one to decide on. If that’s the case, then you might be on the proper place.

The Galaxy S23 FE is extra like a Galaxy S22 FE that is late to the celebration because it options the earlier era chips, and it shares a lot of the identical {hardware}. Although the additional weight and thicker bezels give away its less-than-premium nature.

Desk of Contents:

Let’s start by evaluating the whole specs sheets right here.

Measurement comparability

The Galaxy S23 FE is noticeably bigger and heavier than the compact Galaxy S23. Positive, it has a bigger show, however we additionally discovered it with thicker bezels and physique, which additional contributes to this extra mid-range than flagship construct.

Aside from the dimensions and weight, the telephones look related as they characteristic equivalent designs with flat Gorilla Glass panels, an aluminum body, and three digicam rings. The Galaxy S23 makes use of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, whereas the S23 FE depends on the older Gorilla Glass 5 sheets.

Each telephones are IP68-rated for mud and water resistance, rated to outlive at 1.5m depth.

Aesthetically, each flagships are extremely handsome, although the lighter and extra compact physique of the Galaxy S23 provides it a sure edge over the FE.

Show comparability

Each Galaxies use Dynamic AMOLED 2X screens with equivalent resolutions and max refresh charges. The Galaxy S23 FE has a barely bigger display screen and therefore – a bit decrease pixel density.

The Galaxy S23 has the brighter show even when it’s not a significant distinction – 1198nits vs. 985nits in Auto mode and 476nits vs. 451nits with handbook management.

Each screens supply correct colour calibration.

The Galaxy S23 has a far granular management over the refresh charge – the display screen switched dynamically between 120Hz, 90Hz, 60Hz, 30Hz, and 24Hz on the go, relying on the content material. In the meantime, the Galaxy S23 FE makes use of solely the fastened 120Hz and 60Hz modes.

Lastly, the 2 Galaxies help HDR10+ streaming.

Battery life

The Galaxy S23 is powered by a 3,900 mAh battery, whereas the Galaxy S23 FE has a bigger 4,500 mAh cell.

The Galaxy S23 FE carried out worse throughout all of our energetic battery checks however voice calls. It scored no less than 1 hour much less on the internet, video streaming, and gaming eventualities, ensuing within the subpar 9:45h of Lively Use Rating. The newer chipset contained in the S23 is far more energy environment friendly.

Charging velocity

The Galaxy S23 and S23 FE are formally rated for 25W quick wired charging. Wi-fi charging is as much as 15W, and there may be help for reverse wi-fi charging, too.

Regardless of the battery capability variations, the Galaxies recharge equally quick, similar to Apple’s iPhones.

Speaker check

The Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 FE each have hybrid stereo speaker setups with a devoted bottom-firing speaker for one channel and an amplified earpiece for the opposite.

The Galaxy S23 FE has the louder speaker system – it scored a Very Good mark on our loudness check, whereas the Galaxy S23 – a Good mark. They each supply properly wealthy and deep audio high quality, although.

Efficiency

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy – it is a as soon as Samsung-exclusive model with overclocked CPU and GPU in comparison with mainstream SD8G2.

The Galaxy S23 FE brings again the chipset fragmentation, and completely different markets get completely different {hardware} platforms. The US model will get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC (our evaluation unit), whereas the worldwide mannequin elsewhere is predicated on the Exynos 2200 chip. Each {hardware} platforms are one era older than the one contained in the common Galaxy S23, lifted from the Galaxy S22 sequence.

Fairly expectedly, whereas nonetheless related, the Galaxy S23 FE is inferior to the Galaxy S23 not simply in energy effectivity, but in addition in relation to efficiency.

Along with the efficiency, the Galaxy S23 FE additionally presents inside GPU stability – 60% vs. 46%. The S23 FE can keep at peak efficiency for about 5 minutes, similar to the Galaxy S23, after which it is all downhill from there. And whereas this doesn’t precisely characterize real-life gaming, you possibly can anticipate drops in efficiency on occasion in demanding video games.

Having a sooner GPU and higher GPU stability, the Galaxy S23 appears to be, arms down, the higher performer right here.

Digicam comparability

Each the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 FE characteristic related three-camera setups on the again – broad, UW, 3x tele. The entrance imagers, whereas completely different in decision, are additionally related when it comes to lenses and high quality.

Each Galaxies have the identical 50MP OIS main.

The 3x zoom digicam makes use of related OIS lenses, however the Galaxy S23 has a 10MP sensor, whereas the S23 FE has an 8MP sensor.

The ultrawide cameras on each telephones characteristic 12MP sensors with related ultrawide-angle lenses.

Lastly, the Galaxy S23 has a 12MP selfie digicam with AF, whereas the FE mannequin has a 10MP with AF.

Lengthy story brief, the principle and ultrawide cameras look like somewhat related on each Galaxy S23 fashions, whereas the FE mannequin has decrease decision zoom and selfie cameras.

The primary cameras on each telephones supply equally nice images with barely over-saturated colours. There’s loads of resolved element throughout all images, with low noise, excessive distinction and broad dynamic vary.

Similar goes for the ultrawide cameras – there may be a whole lot of resolved element, the noise is low, and the sector of view is impressively broad. The nook softness is minor, and the pictures don’t exhibit a fish-eye look.

The zoomed images are virtually lookalikes, too, however there’s a minor distinction within the sharpness throughout the zoomed images in favor of the Galaxy S23. That’s as a result of each telephones upscale their output to 12MP, however the Galaxy S23 goes from 10MP to 12MP, whereas the S23 FE goes from 8MP as much as 12MP.

Lastly, the 12MP selfie from the Galaxy S23 presents a bit extra element because of the higher-res sensor when in comparison with the 10MP mugshot from the S23 FE. It is as soon as once more a minor distinction, but it surely’s there.

Galaxy S23: 1x • 3x • 0.6x • selfie

Galaxy S23 FE: 1x • 3x • 0.6x • selfie

And right here is one other comparability:

Galaxy S23: 1x • 3x • 0.6x

Galaxy S23 FE: 1x • 3x • 0.6x

Samsung’s digicam app helps Auto Evening Mode in low-light circumstances – it seems as a small moon icon, and for those who faucet on it – you’ll disable it. It normally takes 1s lower than the common evening mode, however we discovered the Auto Evening Mode (the place it triggered) and the common Evening Mode output to be equivalent throughout all cameras.

Each the Galaxy S23 and S23 FE supply equivalent images from all three cameras. There are some extremely small variations within the ranges of noise and the worldwide sharpness, however for all intents and functions – these are just about equal.

Galaxy S23: 1x • 3x • 0.6x

Galaxy S23 FE: 1x • 3x • 0.6x

Lastly, let’s speak about video capturing. The Galaxy S23 can do as much as 8K30 movies and 4K60 capturing, whereas the Galaxy S23 FE maxes out at 8K24, although it nonetheless helps 4K60.

The daylight movies supply equally nice high quality from each smartphones.

Galaxy S23: 8K primary • 4K primary • 4K 3x tele • 4K UW • 4K selfie

Galaxy S23 FE: 8K primary • 4K primary • 4K 3x tele • 4K UW • 4K selfie

The Galaxy S23 has a minor edge over the S23 FE in relation to noise discount at evening for the principle and ultrawide movies.

Galaxy S23: 4K primary • 4K 3x tele • 4K UW • 4K selfie

Galaxy S23 FE: 4K primary • 4K 3x tele • 4K UW • 4K selfie

This is a glimpse of how the Galaxy S23’s primary digicam compares in picture high quality to the Galaxy S23 FE’s in our Photograph evaluate device.

And this is how the Galaxy S23 primary digicam compares in video high quality to the Galaxy S23 FE’s in our Video evaluate device.

Verdict

So far as we all know, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is just formally accessible within the USA, Canada, Australia, Turkey, and a number of other international locations in Asia Pacific on the time of writing. It has been topic to each value hikes and value cuts since its launch. It would supposedly launch in Europe in December or January for £599 and €650 or so.

And having these costs in thoughts, the Galaxy S23 FE would not really feel precisely like a extra inexpensive different to the Galaxy S23, however the Galaxy S22 or S22+. Not that it actually issues, but it surely’s simply that the Galaxy S23 FE is neither a Fan Version, nor an actual S23. It is extra like an S22 FE that’s arriving additional late for the celebration as everybody anticipated it across the time S23 sequence got here out.

Lengthy story brief – you both get the Galaxy S23 for its extra highly effective {hardware} and barely higher cameras, otherwise you get the Galaxy S23 FE for its bigger display screen and barely louder audio system. And that’s solely, if you cannot discover the Galaxy S22+ on the similar value.